How to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy

Body care

First of all, pregnancy and cosmetics are not mutually exclusive concepts; it’s just that while you’re expecting a baby, it’s better to give preference to natural and hypoallergenic products. Now there are quite a few brands to suit a variety of budgets with lines of care products for pregnant women.

If you don't trust them, you can try using homemade recipes based on natural ingredients. Olive oil, coconut oil, wheat germ oil and almond oil perfectly moisturize the body and help fight against stretch marks. To improve the condition of your body skin, you can use a sugar or salt scrub once or twice a week: simply apply fine salt in a circular motion to damp skin, and then rinse with water.

Sources

• Ross-Davie M., Brodrick A., Randall W., Kerrigan A., McSherry M. 2. Labor and birth. // Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol - 2021 - Vol - NNULL - p.; PMID:33879365
• Sabharwal V., Bartolome R., Hassan SA., Levesque BM., Camelo IY., Wachman EM., Figueira M., Yarrington CD., Cooper ER., Barnett ED., Parker MG. Mother-Infant Dyads with COVID-19 at an Urban, Safety-Net Hospital: Clinical Manifestations and Birth Outcomes. // Am J Perinatol - 2022 - Vol - NNULL - p.; PMID:33853145
• Yu Y., Zhang Y., Zhu X., Zhang C., Tong C., Zhao Y. . // Zhonghua Wei Zhong Bing Ji Jiu Yi Xue - 2022 - Vol33 - N3 - p.305-310; PMID:33834971
• Bezemer JM., van der Ende J., Limpens J., de Vries HJC., Schallig HDFH. Safety and efficacy of allylamines in the treatment of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis: A systematic review. // PLoS One - 2022 - Vol16 - N4 - p.e0249628; PMID:33826660
• Elango K., Javaid A., Khetarpal B.K., Ramalingam S., Kolandaivel K.P., Gunasekaran K., Ahsan C. The Effects of Warfarin and Direct Oral Anticoagulants on Systemic Vascular Calcification: A Review. // Cells - 2022 - Vol10 - N4 - p.; PMID:33807457
• Foessleitner P., Kiss H., Deinsberger J., Ott J., Zierhut L., Farr A. Validation of the SavvyCheck™ Vaginal Yeast Test for Screening Pregnant Women for Vulvovaginal Candidosis: A Prospective, Cross-Sectional Study. // J Fungi (Basel) - 2022 - Vol7 - N3 - p.; PMID:33804805
• Gonçalves-Ferri WA., Pereira-Cellini FM., Coca K., Aragon DC., Nader P., Lyra JC., do Vale MS., Marba S., Araujo K., Dias LA., de Lima Mota Ferreira DM ., Nieto G., Anchieta LM., de Cássia Silveira R., de Moura MDR., Tuma Calil VML., Moraes VCC., de Almeida JHCL., Magalhães M., Sonini TCB., Javorsky JB., Ribeiro ÉLA. , Ferreira R., de Almeida LDC., Garbers R., da Silva Faria GM., Roosch A., de Mesquita ARA., de Oliveira Pinto RM. The impact of coronavirus outbreak on breastfeeding guidelines among Brazilian hospitals and maternity services: a cross-sectional study. // Int Breastfeed J - 2021 - Vol16 - N1 - p.30; PMID:33789708
• Gurung R., Ruysen H., Sunny AK., Day LT., Penn-Kekana L., Målqvist M., Ghimire B., Singh D., Basnet O., Sharma S., Shaver T., Moran AC., Lawn JE., Kc A. Respectful maternal and newborn care: measurement in one EN-BIRTH study hospital in Nepal. // BMC Pregnancy Childbirth - 2022 - Vol21 - NSuppl 1 - p.228; PMID:33765971
• Ameen S., Siddique AB., Peven K., Rahman QS., Day LT., Shabani J., Kc A., Boggs D., Shamba D., Tahsina T., Rahman AE., Zaman SB., Hossain AT ., Ahmed A., Basnet O., Malla H., Ruysen H., Blencowe H., Arnold F., Requejo J., Arifeen SE., Lawn JE., Rahman QS., Rahman AE., Tahsina T., Zaman SB., Ameen S., Hossain T., Siddique AB., Hossain AT., Mazumder T., Khan J., Talha TUS., Haider R., Rahman MH., Ahmed A., El Arifeen S., Basnet O., Sunny AK., Thakur N., Gurung R., Jha AK., Jha B., Bastola RC., Paudel R., Paudel A., Kc A., Salim N., Shamba D., Shabani J. , Shirima K., Tarimo MN., Mbaruku G., Masanja H., Day LT., Ruysen H., Peven K., Gordeev VS., Gore-Langton GR., Boggs D., Kong S., Baschieri A. , Cousens S., Lawn JE. Survey of women's report for 33 maternal and newborn indicators: EN-BIRTH multi-country validation study. // BMC Pregnancy Childbirth - 2022 - Vol21 - NSuppl 1 - p.238; PMID:33765956

Facial care

To care for oily skin, as well as when acne appears, it is better to avoid using special creams, as they usually contain dangerous salicylic acid. You can improve the condition of problematic facial skin during pregnancy using folk remedies, using, for example, a mask based on dry yeast.

Dry skin also needs special care while expecting a baby: you should not use soap to remove makeup, it is better to use a moisturizing gel for washing and choose a cream containing vitamin E and aloe vera.

Why do stretch marks occur?

There may be several reasons for the occurrence of stretch marks, or stretch marks, but the main one is insufficient cell regeneration. When the volume of the abdomen increases, there are not enough cells. They do not have time to share in the required quantity, which is why the surface of the epidermis becomes thinner.

The thin layer of epidermis in itself is not a stretch mark. But the area of ​​the body with this problem is impacted: a sudden movement, a pulled muscle, an awkward turn - the weak epidermis is torn and micro-tears appear.

The body strives to “patch” them as quickly as possible. New tissue is born, but, alas, not like healthy skin, but scar tissue. Below it, processes associated with injury occur: torn capillaries give the striae red, like a cut, then lilac and violet colors. Over time, the internal damage heals and only a white stretch remains, similar to a scar. It cannot be hidden under any tan: unlike healthy cells, scar cells do not react to ultraviolet radiation.

Other causes of stretch marks may include::

• Poor nutrition : During pregnancy, the body especially needs vitamins. Without fresh vegetables and fruits, protein, complexes of groups B, C and D, cells do not receive what they need, so they become less elastic. This increases the risk of microtears in the tissue, even if the cells themselves are still sufficient to maintain the required thickness of the epidermis.
• Excess or lack of physical activity . With fanatical exercise, as well as with the wrong selection of exercises, the muscles are under constant stress. The epidermis becomes thinner and tears. For healthy fitness, taking a day or two off after a workout is recommended. This way the muscles remain toned, but at the same time have time to relax. With a sedentary lifestyle, muscles, on the contrary, atrophy. The skin becomes loose and loses elasticity because sluggish blood flow does not deliver enough oxygen.
• Hormonal disbalance . The body prepares for childbirth and produces progesterone, a hormone that relaxes the uterus and along with it the rest of the muscles and connective tissues. Due to loss of tone, the epidermis is easily torn.
• Smoking and alcohol . There are obvious reasons why the skin of an ordinary person deteriorates. Alcohol and nicotine interfere with the production of elastin and collagen - substances responsible for skin elasticity.
• Early or late age of a woman . By the age of 18, the body is not ready for the hardships of pregnancy, and after 30 years, not enough collagen is produced.
• Repeated births . It takes 2 years for the body to recover. Before this period, hormonal levels will not have time to improve, and time is also needed to replenish vitamin reserves and put your figure in order.
• Feeding _ The lactation period is a very heavy burden for the breasts. To avoid stretch marks, you will need bandages and special underwear, as well as stretch mark cream. However, before using a cosmetic product, make sure that it can be used during lactation.
• Having obesity or diabetes . The body is already functioning beyond normal limits, and in the case of diabetes there are even disturbances in the endocrine system.
• Heredity is more of a risk factor than a cause. But it also needs to be taken into account. If your mother and grandmother had stretch marks, most likely you will have them too.

Knowing the reasons for their appearance, you can avoid stretch marks simply by taking precautions in time. If stretch marks do occur, it is possible to get rid of them. The main thing is to choose the right method of treatment and not to cause stretch marks - young colored stretch marks are easier to cure than old white ones.

Hair care

Many women note that during pregnancy, hair becomes less brittle and practically does not fall out. All this is the result of hormonal changes that occur in the body while expecting a baby. However, protection and hydration are still your hair's best friends, and choosing natural shampoos and hair masks won't be too difficult. Ideally, they contain organic plant substances.

To reduce the adverse effects on the body of daily use (and therefore inhalation) of hairspray, it is better to replace it with fixing foams, emulsions, waxes, etc.

Gentle paints without ammonia and tinted shampoos, if used within reasonable limits, will not cause much harm. It is better not to buy ordinary household paints for home use in the store, but to go to a good salon and consult a professional hairdresser about what is suitable for you during pregnancy.

Hair coloring can be done using natural dyes - henna or basma. However, it is worth considering that such coloring will be very durable and ordinary factory-made dyes, if you then decide to use them, will not last - you will have to wait until the henna-dyed hair grows out and you can cut it off.

Cellulite: how does it appear?

The main causes of the annoying “orange peel” appearance:

• rapid weight gain;
• decrease in physical activity - muscle tone weakens, a slowdown in lymph outflow occurs;
• changes in hormonal levels, circulatory disorders;
• increasing food consumption, changing diet;
• metabolic disorders, the appearance of swelling, which also provokes tissue unevenness;
• lack of vitamins and minerals.

Cellulite is easy to determine - squeeze the skin on your thigh with two fingers - if the skin remains smooth - congratulations! If small bumps appear on the skin, you need to think about it and do the maximum to prevent the development of cellulite during pregnancy and not start it after the birth of the child.

Nail care

Manicure and pedicure are an important part of personal care. But frequent inhalation of nail polish and nail polish remover fumes is far from beneficial, especially if you're sitting in a crowded or poorly ventilated salon area. You can be content with a home manicure and pedicure, including various softening and strengthening baths, correction of nail plates, and polishing. And to paint your nails, it is better to choose varnishes without toluene, dibutyl phthalate and formaldehyde. Nail polish remover should be soy or water based, without acetone.

Contraindications

During this period, it is not recommended to carry out certain procedures and use products that help get rid of cellulite:

• essential oils - they affect not only you, but also the fetus, some of them are neurotoxic - they can provoke negative consequences on the development of the child;
• hardware electrotherapy of cellulite and hydromassage;
• anti-cellulite underwear;
• anti-cellulite cosmetics - the chemical components that are included in the composition are of no use to you now;
• hot wrap - increases blood circulation, increases body temperature - this can lead to serious problems.

At this point in your life, you should take care of the health of yourself and your baby. After giving birth, you can safely begin to get rid of cellulite and excess deposits using all available methods. Hardware salon procedures are the most effective.

Decorative cosmetics

The main rule for pregnant women when using decorative cosmetics is to choose hypoallergenic products. It is advisable to leave the makeup itself as light as possible: a touch of lipstick, a light application of mascara, a little eye shadow and a soft touch of blush. Foundation and powder can clog pores, so give preference to a light fluid or mineral powder. As a decorative product for lips during pregnancy, it is better to choose moisturizing balms with a light shade.

How to get rid of stretch marks if you already have them

There is definitely no way to quickly reduce stretch marks - for proper cell regeneration, breakdown of excess collagen fibers and sufficient penetration of a special anti-stretch mark product deep into the epidermis, you will need to undergo a full course of treatment.

Physiotherapy and special aids

The procedures can be either simple applications of Fermenkol against stretch marks, or its combination with physiotherapy, for example, with electrophoresis - the choice of method for treating stretch marks depends on the degree of its complexity, the desired result and the presence of contraindications.

You can start treating stretch marks at 3-4 weeks , rubbing the product into the problem area with massage movements. However, before use, make sure that there is no allergy to the drug. To do this, just apply a small amount of cream to your palm and leave for 20 minutes. If there is no redness, feel free to use it.

Before starting a course of physical therapy, make sure that the chosen method is suitable for you, consult with your doctor.

Treatment can also be combined with light physical activity: gymnastics, walking, swimming will help to “accelerate” the blood, saturate the cells with oxygen and make the muscles elastic.

Fragrances

During pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, the expectant mother may be especially sensitive to odors, so there is a chance that even the smell of her favorite perfume will seem too intense or unpleasant to her. If increased sensitivity to fragrances has appeared, it is better not to torment yourself, but to stop using perfume or eau de toilette for a while and choose cosmetics without fragrances (as a rule, brands of “pharmacy” cosmetics based on thermal water have such options).

During pregnancy, hormonal changes often lead to active sweating and increased natural odors. When choosing a deodorant, it is better to give preference to one that does not contain alcohol, parabens and aluminum. In natural and organic cosmetics stores, you can choose special talc or powder that will prevent the appearance of sweat odor.

Recommendation 3: Avoid long flights

Perhaps in the 1st trimester of pregnancy you will want to go on vacation to distant countries. For example, to Cuba, Sri Lanka, Tanzania. Vacations in exotic countries are of course good, but your health and the safety of your unborn baby should come first!

During a flight, there is a very large pressure drop, and how your body will bear this load is anyone’s guess. It is likely that everything will go fine, but some problems are possible:

• exacerbation of toxicosis;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• increased fatigue;
• problems with the digestive system;
• dizziness.

In addition, during a long flight you will be constantly sitting. And prolonged sitting can lead to lymphostasis - swelling of the soft tissues. In this regard, it is quite reasonable to replace long flights with shorter travel routes.

Before your flight, be sure to go to an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist, who will assess your condition and accurately answer the question: can you fly or not. If you have certain health problems, flying is contraindicated for pregnant women. For example, air travel is prohibited if you have severe anemia.

When going on holiday abroad, do not forget that in many countries in Europe and Asia there is a risk of contracting measles and rubella. And if you did not have measles or rubella as a child or did not complete the full course of vaccination against them, then if you become infected, you will face serious troubles. For example, infection with rubella in the first trimester increases the risk of miscarriage by 4 times.

A tan

During pregnancy, it is better not to use a solarium or use self-tanning products. If you really need to change your complexion, it is better to choose BB cream or mineral powder.

Sunbathing on the beach in direct sunlight is also not beneficial - it is better for the expectant mother to relax in the shade, remembering to use sunscreen. There is definitely no place for saving in this matter - we choose a cream with the maximum protection factor (you can use “children’s”) and use it as often as the specific instructions suggest.

How to avoid stretch marks during pregnancy

Preventing a defect is always easier than getting rid of an existing problem. In addition, to reduce stretch marks it is often not enough to use only cosmetic products such as ointments, gels or creams. Large mature stretch marks will require physical therapy, and many procedures have contraindications for breastfeeding and pregnant women.

How to be?

To prevent stretch marks from occurring, it is important to keep the skin toned - a contrast shower, walks in the fresh air, a swimming pool and gymnastics for pregnant women are suitable for this purpose.

Cold and hot shower

Changing the water temperature within 30 seconds from comfortable warm to cold stimulates blood flow, which makes the skin more elastic. The effect can be enhanced by massage with a hard washcloth or a rough brush, scrub and moisturizing lotion.

However, it is worth considering that this procedure is only allowed during a normal pregnancy. If it occurs with any complications, it is better to consult a gynecologist.

Light physical activity

An hour-long walk in the park will lift your spirits, fresh air will saturate the body with oxygen, and leisurely walking will help you stay in good shape.

Exercising in the pool is both relaxing and keeps your body in good shape. Water creates a natural load on the muscles and saturates the cells with moisture.

Gymnastics for pregnant women prepares the body for the upcoming birth and maintains skin elasticity. Experts recommend fitball exercises, yoga, and swimming.

Bandages and prenatal bra

From the 22nd week of pregnancy, as a rule, the belly noticeably increases in size. This increases the load on the back and, in order to avoid pain in the spine and, at the same time, stretch marks on the abdomen, it is recommended to wear a bandage in the form of a belt.

The breasts also increase in size and become heavier, and the mammary glands swell. To avoid finding stretch marks and loss of your former beautiful shape after pregnancy, it is better to wear a prenatal bra with wide straps and without wires. The material itself holds its shape without causing chest discomfort.

However, not only external influences are important, such as the pool, exercises, bandages and contrast showers. The body is also affected by nutrition, the consequences of bad habits, support with vitamin complexes or necessary hormones (which can only be used with the permission of a doctor!).

Diet

The most important and obvious thing that nutritionists can advise is that you don’t have to eat “for two.” A regular portion is enough for the body; if you feel hungry, you can reduce the usual portion, but increase the frequency of snacks.

For greater production of collagen, the substance responsible for skin elasticity, you need protein foods. For example, white meat turkey or chicken.

In addition to protein, the body requires omega acids, which can be found in fish: salmon, trout and others.

Vitamins of group C are found in vegetables and fruits, and complexes B and E are found in legumes, nuts, and whole grain cereals.

Loss of skin elasticity and swelling may be due to lack of fluid. So that it does not linger in the body, it is necessary to drink more and more often plain water, which will saturate the body and will not linger in it for a long time. As weight increases during pregnancy, this norm should be reviewed with your doctor.

In order not to gain more weight than expected and not to additionally burden the endocrine system, it is necessary to reduce the consumption of sugar and flour.

To get calcium, add dairy products to your diet: milk, cottage cheese, kefir or fermented baked milk, etc.